Ramping Up Detention of Young Serious Offenders: A Safer Future?

When youth commit serious violent or sexual offenses, this often generates a call for more severe punishments and longer detention sentences. An important question is whether (long) detention sentences are effective in decreasing recidivism among serious young offenders. To estimate recidivism rates in serious young offenders and elucidate the link between sentencing (in terms of custodial vs. non-custodial and length of imprisonment) and recidivism, three multilevel meta-analyses were conducted. With a systematic literature search, 27 studies and four datasets were traced, involving N = 2,308 participants, yielding 90 effect sizes for overall recidivism, 24 for specifically violent recidivism, and 23 for the association between length of imprisonment and recidivism. The average weighted overall recidivism rate was 44.47% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 37.59–51.46%) over an average period of 8.68 years. The rate of violent recidivism was estimated at 30.49% (95% CI: 20.92–40.52%), over an average period of 11.45 years. Recidivism rates were higher when recidivism was defined as an arrest for any new offense rather than for a specific offense and in studies conducted in the United States versus European studies. Violent recidivism rates were higher in studies with longer follow-up periods. Based on the limited available studies, no difference in recidivism rates following custodial and non-custodial sentences were found, nor an association between length of imprisonment and recidivism. To increase rehabilitation chances for youth offenders, further research is warranted to better understand the impact of sentencing and to ascertain what is needed to make custodial and non-custodial sentences more effective

Breaking the chains? The effects of training a shelter dog in prison on criminal behavior and recidivism

The effectiveness of Dutch Cell Dogs (DCD), a prison-based dog training program, in reducing criminal behavior and recidivism was assessed in a quasi-experimental study in twelve correctional facilities in the Netherlands (N = 241). DCD is a program in which incarcerated offenders train a shelter dog bi-weekly for eight weeks. Results demonstrated that DCD (n = 121) did not outperform treatment-as-usual (TAU; n = 120) in official recidivism outcomes and self-reported criminal behavior. However, subgroups based on age and detainees’ functioning responded differently in self-reported criminal behavior. Positive effects were found on self-reported criminal behavior for DCD participants who were older, had lower callous-unemotional traits, or had higher treatment motivation. In conclusion, findings provided initial evidence that subgroups may respond differently to a dog training program, however, more experimental research with larger sample sizes is needed

The effectiveness of blended versus regular Forensic Outpatient Systemic Therapy in the treatment of juvenile antisocial behavior: a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

Background: Antisocial behavior during adolescence can have long-lasting negative effects and leads to high societal costs. Forensic Outpatient Systemic Therapy (Forensische Ambulante Systeem Therapie; FAST) is a promising treatment for juveniles aged 12–21 showing severe antisocial behavior. The intensity, content and duration of FAST can be adjusted to the needs of the juvenile and their caregiver(s), which is considered crucial for effective treatment. Next to the regular version of FAST (FASTr), a blended version (FASTb) in which face-to-face contacts are replaced by minimally 50% online contacts over the duration of intervention was developed during the Covid-19 pandemic. The current study will investigate whether FASTb is equally effective as FASTr, and through which mechanisms of change, for whom, and under which conditions FASTr and FASTb work. Methods: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be carried out. Participants (N = 200) will be randomly assigned to FASTb (n = 100) or FASTr (n = 100). Data collection will consist of self-report questionnaires and case file analysis, and include a pre-test at the start of the intervention, a post-test immediately after the intervention, and a six month follow-up. Mechanisms of change will be investigated using monthly questionnaires of key variables during treatment. Official recidivism data will be collected at two-year follow-up. Discussion: This study aims to improve the effectiveness and quality of forensic mental health care for juveniles with antisocial behavior by studying the effectiveness of blended care, which has not been studied before in treatment of externalizing behavior. If found to be at least as effective as face-to-face treatment, blended treatment can help meet the urgent need for more flexible and efficient interventions in this field. In addition, the proposed study aims to unravel what works for whom, knowledge urgently needed in mental health care for juveniles with severe antisocial behavior. Trial registration: This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on 07/11/2022, registration number NCT05606978

The Role of Psychopathic Traits and Supportive Parental Practices in Long-Term Juvenile Recidivism: a 10-Year Follow-Up.

Recidivism rates of juvenile delinquents remain high despite numerous intervention efforts. Identifying factors that can predict (long-term) recidivism is therefore an important research issue. Knowledge on why juveniles re-offend is a key to effective interventions as it helps to identify factors most likely to be successful targets in intervention programs. A 10-year follow-up study prospectively examined whether psychopathic traits and supportive parental practices predicted the timing and frequency of recidivism in juvenile delinquents. Participants were 256 adolescents who were referred to treatment for serious antisocial behavior (72.4% male). Participants were between 12 and 18 years old at baseline (M = 15.9 years). Parents reported on juveniles’ psychopathic traits and supportive parental practices at baseline. At 10-year follow-up, the official recidivism data were collected. A substantial number of juveniles (86.3%) had recidivated at 10-year follow-up. Juvenile psychopathic traits and supportive parental practices did not incrementally predict the timing or frequency of recidivism over time over and beyond the static control variables gender and prior offenses. The present study confirms previous work suggesting that static risk factors gender and prior offenses are strongest predictors of recidivism

Risk factors for juvenile cybercrime: A meta-analytic review

So far, most meta-analyses and reviews on juvenile crime risk factors focused on risk factors for traditional crimes. It is unknown, though, whether these risk factors are also relevant for the explanation of cybercrime perpetration. This meta-analytic review aimed to identify risk factors for cyberstalking, hacking, and sexting perpetrated by juveniles. A literature search yielded 48 articles (24 for cyberstalking, 15 for sexting, and 10 for hacking) that produced 903 effect sizes (306 for cyberstalking, 61 for sexting, and 536 for hacking). The results showed similarities, but also differences in risk factors for the three types of cybercrime. Overall, peer factors were found to be important for all three types (deviant peers for cyberstalking and hacking and peer pressure for sexting). Besides, for cyberstalking, previous online and offline perpetration and victimization were significant risk factors. Other small but significant effects for multiple cybercrime types were found for dark personality traits (for cyberstalking and sexting) and high computer preoccupation (for cyberstalking and hacking). Implications for (preventive) intervention are discussed, as well as the need for future research

Risk factors for (violent) radicalization in juveniles: A multilevel meta-analysis

Juveniles who become radicalized pose a great threat for society. Although research on radicalization is accumulating, a quantitative review of risk factors for youth radicalization is lacking. Therefore, a series of meta-analyses were conducted on k = 30 studies (247 effect sizes) to examine risk factors for radicalization in youth, yielding significant effects for 15 out of 17 risk domains, ranging in magnitude from r = 0.080 to r = 0.482. Medium positive effects were found for activism, perceived in-group superiority and perceived distance to other people, while small effects were found for gender, personality, delinquency and aggression, lower educational level, negative peers, in-group identification, perceived discrimination, perceived group threat, perceived procedural injustice, perceived illegitimacy of authorities, and other, whereas the effect for poverty was very small. Moderator analyses showed that the risks of negative parenting and societal disconnection were smaller for right-wing radicalization than for religious or unspecified radicalization. The risks of personality and perceived group threat were greater for willingness to carry out extremist acts and extremist behavior than for attitude towards radicalization. Further, when the percentage of ethnic minorities in the sample increased, the risks of personality, negative parenting, and societal disconnection for radicalization were larger

The Effectiveness of School-Based Skills-Training Programs Reducing Performance or Social Anxiety: Two Randomized Controlled Trials

Background: Given that high levels of stress during adolescence are associated with negative consequences, it is important that adolescents with psychological needs are supported at an early stage, for instance with interventions at school. However, knowledge about the potential of school-based programs targeting adolescents with psychological needs, aimed at reducing school or social stress, is lacking. Objective: The current study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of two targeted school-based skills-training programs, addressing either skills to deal with performance anxiety or social skills. Methods: Two randomized controlled trials were performed with participants who self-selected to one of the programs. The sample comprised of N = 361 adolescents (Mage = 13.99 years, SD = 0.83) from various educational levels and ethnic identity backgrounds. The performance anxiety program included N = 196 participants (N = 95 in the experimental group), while the social skills program included N = 165 participants (N = 86 in the experimental group). MANCOVA’s were performed. Results: The performance anxiety program had a small effect on reducing adolescents’ test anxiety. Furthermore, for adolescents who attended more than half of the sessions, the program had small effects on reducing test anxiety and fear of failure. The program did not improve adolescents’ coping skills or mental health. The social skills program was not effective in improving social skills, social anxiety, and mental health. Conclusions: A relatively short, targeted program addressing skills to deal with performance anxiety can have the potential to reduce adolescents’ performance anxiety. Trial registration: International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (Netherlands Trial Register, number NTR7680). Registered 12 December 2018. Study protocol van Loon et al., (2019)

Just as they expected: How parents' expectations about their unborn child's characteristics provide a context for early transactions between parenting and child temperament

Prenatal expectations about what children will be like after birth may provide a context for how parents perceive their infant's actual temperament. We examined how these expectations and perceptions are associated and together predict early parenting behavior, with parenting behavior in turn predicting changes in temperament. Reports of 125 families (N = 122 fathers; N = 123 mothers; sample 1) about their expectations of their unborn child's temperament (negative affectivity, surgency, regulation, T1), their infant's temperament at 4 and 12 months post-partum (T2 and T3), and their hostile, responsive, warm, and overprotective parenting (T2) were included. We also included data from an independent sample of 168 mothers (sample 2), with the same measures, except that mothers reported on Big Five personality traits at T1. Results indicated that in both samples, parents' expectations were positively associated with perceptions of infant temperament. Prenatal expectations and newborn temperament independently predicted parenting behavior, and maternal and paternal parenting in turn predicted infant temperament at T3, controlling for infant temperament at T2. Although overall findings indicated associations between (expectations of) a more difficult temperament and more negative/less positive parenting, significant combinations of specific traits and parenting behaviors were sample-specific—indicating that more research is necessary to draw a conclusion about specific links. Both maternal and paternal expectations about their unborn child's temperament appear to carry over into the postpartum reality and provide a context for shaping early interactions between caregivers and their children, which may further shape the developing temperament of the child

Adding Structured Components to Home Visitation to Reduce Mothers’ Risk for Child Maltreatment: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: Home visitation program effects are generally small, which may be caused by flexible intervention content leading to inconsistent outcomes. In this study we therefore examined whether the effectiveness of a Dutch home visitation program (i.e., Supportive Parenting) can be improved by adding structured intervention components targeting key risk factors for child maltreatment: parental sense of competence, perceived stress, parental anger, and PTSD symptoms. Method: Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 74) that received four additional intervention components in two home visits, or a control group (n = 60) that received regular Supportive Parenting. Outcomes were assessed before (T1) and after (T2) the first, and before (T3) and after (T4) the second home visit. Effects were examined using ANCOVA for primary outcomes: parental sense of competence, perceived stress, parental anger, and PTSD symptoms, and secondary outcomes: risk of child maltreatment, parental warmth, and negative parenting. Moderation effects were examined for T1 scores, child temperament and life events. Results: Mothers who received the intervention components showed less stress compared to the control group at T3 and T4. There were no differences between groups on other outcomes and no moderation effects, although parental sense of competence reduced and anger increased within the experimental group specifically. Conclusion: The structured components may enhance the effectiveness of Supportive Parenting to reduce parenting stress. Future research into how other outcomes can be improved is needed